Seemingly Unrequited
by swaggyzebraTW
Summary: The team goes on a seemingly normal raid in an old abandoned hotel. When the team splits up, certain members go missing. Will Deeks be able to save them all from doom? Or will he fall himself? Will he finally admit his feelings for Kensi, not just to himself, but the whole team? Will he live long enough to reveal his secret? -Densi with a little Nallen. Rated T for language romance
1. Raid gone wrong

Chapter 1: Feigning Nonchalance

**AN: Here is another fic! This is my first NCIS: LA fanfiction, but I am quite familiar with the show. I am personally quite excited for the premiere of season 5, which is only a few weeks away! Woop! The wait is almost over, and I must admit that the suspense is killing me. I just hope everyone lives. :P. The season finale was quite epic in my opinion, bu the cliffhanger was insane! How did they expect us to wait that long?! Anyway, sorry for that little rant. I plan for this fiction to be two or three chapters long in the end, so it should be done fairly quickly. This is in Deek's point of view, just so you don't get confused. Thanks for reading, please review, because it means a lot. I have no beta, so all grammar issues are on me, and I am young, so my writing isnt that great. So please, no hate.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA, all rights go to Shane Brennan and the people of CBS. I am making no money from this, and the characters are merely borrowed for entertainment. Thank you.**

I walked along the darkened corridor, my gun pointed in front of me as I cleared the area. The lights were dimmed, making it hard for me to see my surroundings. I had no flashlight with me, so I had to try to spot enemies in the near darkness. Despite the lack of light, I could still see that the walls were a mustard color, and were coated in layers of dust. Holes decorated each door I passed, and every room was filled with debris and filth.

Just being in this abandoned hotel made me feel dirty and scummy, and made me wish to leave as soon as possible. So far, in the three floors that I had cleared, I had only encountered three criminals. Two of which, were armed, which made it difficult for me to neutralize them. In the end, I had resorted to surprising them, and cutting off their air supply. I had knocked them out, and handcuffed them to some pipes that had been exposed during the years of misuse of the building. The other, had spotted me, which left me with no options but to shoot him. If I had allowed him to sound an alarm, the whole raid could have been a failure. A gigantic firefight could have occurred, which could have killed multiple members of our team.

I shook away my grim thoughts, before refocusing on clearing the hotel rooms. Each room was a mirror of the last, only filled with trash, and grime. So, without seeing any more action, I quickly reached the end of the hallway. Glancing to my left, I saw a staircase leading down. I was on floor sixteen, above most of my team. Due to the size of the building, I had been forced to split up with my team in order to clear every floor. Sam, Callen, and Kensi were below me, clearing the lower floors, making their way to the basement. Some back up officers were above me, clearing the five floors above me.

Having cleared my share of floors, I brought my hand up to my ear, tapping lightly on my earpiece. I held the button for a few seconds, waiting for the light 'ding' that signaled my connection. After I heard it, I coded in with the pass code, which was currently the phrase, 'fluffy bunnies.' Eric had created the code, claiming that no criminal would ever guess that the code for a bad ass federal agent would contain the words fluffy, and bunnies.

"Deeks! Is everything okay?" I heard Nell ask worriedly through the earpiece.

"I'm good Nell, I have just cleared my floors." I said calmly, assuring the analyst that everything was fine.

She let out a breath, which she must have been holding nervously. "Okay, then you should use the stairs on your left to reach the basement. I have not heard from Sam or Callen, but they should be downstairs already, waiting for you."

"'Kay, heard from Kens?" I questioned, feigning indifference.

I started walking down the stairs, which were especially dark. The lights were few, and far between. The brass railings that had once lines the walls, were now strewn haphazardly along the staircase. It was difficult to avoid tripping on them, even with my training and grace. The shattered pieces of sidewall strewn along the ground did not help either, and I began to wonder how the criminals traveled these passages on a normal basis. Maybe there was a secret passageway that I was unaware of.

I stopped walking as I heard Nell's voice sound through my earpiece, quiet and nervous. "No... Kensi hasn't called in yet. But her sensors show that she is on the third floor, still sweeping."

Sudden nerves attacked my system. Was she okay? Kensi never took long to clear an area, in fact she was probably the fastest. And, Sam and Callen, who had been above her, were already done and in the basement. It struck me as odd how Kensi was still sweeping. She only had to clear four floors, as did the rest of us. The only difference was, we were all done, and she was not. "What floor is she on?" I demanded, feeling myself grow anxious. Kensi should have been done by now..

. "The third floor. She just stopped moving." Eric stated, question etched into his voice, as if he were about to say, 'What's it to you?'

"I'm heading to her now." I said, making it clear that I was not going to be convinced otherwise.

"Deeks, I'm sure she is fine." Nell assured, trying to hide the worry in her own voice.

I ignored their comments, and started down the stairs. My pace was as fast as I could manage, and I found myself lacking my usual grace. I ducked under some exposed beams, and nearly tripped over a stray piece of piping. Dust spread in my wake, but I could care less. My mind was only focusing on one thing. Kensi. As much as I deny having feelings for my partner, there is no point in denying them now. Usually, I force myself to put up a façade, and hide my feelings from Callen and Sam, but right now, they are not around me. They are unaware of my unease. I could now unveil the mask that I usually placed upon myself to hide my feelings, because right now, nothing matters but Kensi Blye. Call me insane, and impulsive, but I am willing to do anything for that woman. And I sure as hell will save her if she needs saving.

I started passing landings, silently keeping track of the floors. I passed the landing for the fifth floor, and still sped forward, refusing to yield. My gun was still at the ready, but I had grown lazy while attempting to sprint, and my arms were slacked. As I passed the fourth floor, I thought to straighten my arms, and further prepare myself for any fight that may occur when I reach Kensi. As the dim hallway began to become brighter, I slowed down. If Kensi is in trouble, I should use the element of surprise. Sprinting loudly down a flight of stairs was not a way to surprise someone.

I began to stalk slowly, still avoiding debris. I pointed my gun at the source of light at the end of the stairs, the marking of the next landing. The third landing. The landing that would lead to Kensi. The floor that held the only think that mattered in my life.

"Deeks?" Nell questioned, making me realize that she had been speaking and that I hadn't been listening to her.

I cursed, mentally scolding myself for my ignorance. "Sorry, what did you say?" I said softly, before stopping.

"Mr. Deeks, you need to wait for back up. We now have suspicions that Ms. Blye has encountered a problem. You are to remain where you are until you have sufficient protection." Hetty ordered calmly.

"Hetty..." I protested.

"No buts, Mr. Deeks. You are to remain where you are." She continued, her authority demanding that her orders be followed.

I remained silent. Back up could be minutes away, and Kensi may not have minutes. Her life could be hanging in the balance, as we speak. I needed to act now, and waiting for help seemed insanely impossible. My partner needs me, and I must save her. So, making up my mind, I spoke into the piece.

"I'm sorry, Hetty. You know I can't do that." I said as I removed my hand from the piece, before pulling it out of my ear altogether. Stomping on the earpiece, I smashed it, successfully destroying the only tracking mechanism the team had on me. I was now on my own, a single rogue federal agent, no longer in contact with my team. I started back down the stairway, my gun once again at the ready. I passed down the steps, before pressing my back against the wall. I paused briefly, with a sudden intake of breath. Gathering up all the courage I could muster, I pointed my gun at the doorway.

I stepped into the opening, my fingers clutched tightly around the trigger. I swiveled myself around, looking at the third floor. It was deserted, just like the floor I had just come from. However, unlike the other, this hallway was painted a shallow blue, which gave the area a cleaner look. It was still filthy, and filled with discarded trash, but I had seen worse. In my quick scan of the corridor, I saw no people. No criminals, no agents, no Kensi.

In that first scan, nothing seemed out of place, the dirt and grime was piled everywhere, just like the rest of the hotel. Paintings and pictures were torn and shredded, and laid strewn along the thin walkway. Stepping forward, I s evidence. Evidence of Kensi being here, evidence of criminal activity, anything that would help me find my lost partner.

I was so caught up in worry that I didn't notice the footprints that were etched into the dust. I could make out multiple sets, one of which being Kensi's. Their were also multiple sets of boot prints that varied in size. All of which, were quite large, as if they belonged to large people. Large criminals, who were armed and dangerous. I continued to look at the prints, looking for signs of a struggle, and much to my dismay, I found disruption in the prints. I saw Kensi's prints stop, and turn into a roll, before reappearing to my right. From there, I could see that her prints were disrupted, as if she had then been pushed or strangled against her own will. Her footprints were smudged there, and I choked down some bile in my throat. Kensi was not okay. She had been attacked, and was now missing.

I glanced back up, before getting to my feet. I continued down the hall, focusing my gun on all of the rooms. The first five were empty, only filled with debris and discarded furniture. I pressed my back against the wall, preparing to enter the next room. I thought it would be like the last five, but I found myself surprised by what I saw. I stopped dead in my tracks, my mouth opening slightly before I promptly closed it. I fought to keep my gun raised as my hands shook with anger and sadness.

My eyes, filled with unspilled tears, simply at the sight that laid in front of me. Never, in all of my life, had I been as saddened as I was then, and nothing had ever made me so emotional. I instantly wished that I hadn't crushed my earpiece, because I really needed back up. I needed Sam and Callen, but I doubted that they could really help me right now. Not in this scenario. No matter how I looked at it, I could not see a positive outcome, and I realized that this was the end. The end to me, the end to everything. The final conflict, which would cause me to fight helplessly, only to end terribly. My courage was still with me somehow, and I found the defiance to fight. Fight, not for my life, but for hers. Because I loved her.

**AN: Dun. Dun. Dun... Cliffhanger. I hope you guys liked it, and review. Please take the time to check out my profile, and my other fics, Reasoning With Forces Deemed Unreasonable, and The Lateness of the Hour. Thank you for reading, I hope this made you happy. **


	2. Trapped

Chapter 2: Trapped

**AN: Here is chapter two, and it is the longest chapter that I have ever written. I consider that an achievement, even though I only have three stories at the moment. Whatever. I am planning on having one more chapter after this one, and some of it will probably be in Callen's point of view. (I KNOW, I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE SWITCH VIEWS,TOO.) Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Due to my school duties, it way be a week before I update any of my stories, so be patient. Thanks for reading, please review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA, all rights to Shane Brennan and CBS. Thank you.**

I stepped into the doorway of the next hotel room. I kept my gun raised, but was unprepared for what I saw in the room. I had originally expected for this room to be like the last five, empty and abandoned. This room however, was the exact opposite. The destroyed furniture was cleared to the sides of the room, and the stripped floors of concrete were covered in footprints.

Looking up, I could see who the footprints belonged to. There were about five men, all dressed in black, and heavily armed. Each had a semi-automatic rifle, and smaller pistols and knives decorated their belts. Each man was incredibly large and muscular, and had the generic build of Sam. Each one probably had years of training, and had most likely mastered all weapons, making them much more deadly then the average gun-wielding criminal. These men were demonic, and willing to kill. I could tell that much just from looking at their creepy, scarred faces.

But none of these men concerned me at the moment. None of which were the reason for my sudden nervousness. No, the reason for my sudden sadness, was currently tied to a few pieces of piping in the far corner. Her eyes, once strong and defiant, were now lost and inexplicably depressed, and hurt me more than a punch to the gut. Never, in all of my years partnering with Kensi, had I ever seen her so weak and vulnerable. Her body was crumpled in the floor, her shoulders hunched painfully from being handcuffed to the pipes. Her legs were tucked beneath her, and probably lacked sufficient circulation. She was set in a puddle of crimson, which was probably her own blood. Her skin was already decorated in purple bruises, and I could see multiple gashes laced into her skin. Drying blood was matted into her hair, from a large gash on her forehead, and sweat tangled into the collar of her shirt.

Kensi was no longer wearing her bullet-proof vest, and appeared to be stripped of all weapons. She was barefoot, meaning she had lost all of the weapons that had been hidden in her boots. All of the bobby-pins and lock picks that had been tied in her ponytail were now gone, and her matted hair hung loosely past her shoulders. She had been tortured, that much was obvious, and knowing Kensi, she had probably refused to leak any information about the raid. She was too strong for her own good.

I forced my head to turn away from her, and refocus on the guards. All of them had pointed their guns at me, making it impossible for me to kill them all. I was on my own, trying to defend myself and Kensi from five men, who were all strong and heavily armed. No matter how I looked at it, all of the outcomes for survival looked bleak. All of the end-game scenarios ended with torture, death, or firefights. This was an uphill battle that I could not win, no matter how hard I tried. Which, I would try. I would give this my all, for Kensi if for nothing else.

"Hello Officer, how nice of you to join us." One of the larger men crooned, sarcasm laced into his voice.

"Yes, I see you have quite the party of losers going on." I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"Happy you could attend," Another one of the men stated, lacking amusement.

I couldn't find the time to come up with another sarcastic retort before the men started advancing towards me. I knew they would not hesitate to kill me, because they had Kensi. She could offer them all the information that I could, so they found no dire need for another hostage. If I shot one of them, the other four would simply shoot me, and fill my body with lead, emptying my system of all crimson liquid. I choked on some bile that was threatening to rise in my throat.

"Put the gun down, you stand no chance." The leader of the men said, while smirking, desperately making me wish to slap him across the face.

I knew he was right, but I was hesitant to succumb to his orders. The instant I put my gun down, I knew that they would chain me up like Kensi, and torture information out of me, which would make me pray for death. Death by gunshot now seemed more friendly than death by torture, yet I knew that dying would not help Kensi. And, if it doesn't help Kensi, it ruins my reason for coming here.

I lowered my weapon, allowing a man to step behind me. I felt him move to put handcuffs around my hands, and suddenly, I came up with an idea. I had a knife in my back pocket, which I could use to kill them later. If I could keep it hidden, I could pick them off one by one. That would give me and Kensi the greatest chance of survival. It was slim, but it gave some hope.

"Hands behind your back. No tricks." The man said, distrust evident in his tone.

I obliged, but not without hesitation. My hands were not used to being handcuffed, and they were not fond of the experience. The man tucked them behind my back, with no sense of kindness. The clicks of the locks was audible, before he shoved me roughly towards another criminal. The man caught me, a smirk coating his disgusting face. I spat towards him, only to miss by a few inches. The hostility in the room was evident, and I was not a fan of it.

I was shoved towards the corner opposite of Kensi, before I was tied to a large oak desk, which was too heavy for me to have hopes of moving. I sighed. This was not where I wanted to be. Another man came at me with a knife, but instead of attacking me, he cut off my vest. He pulled it away from my frame, discarding it haphazardly a few feet away. He took my boots off, taking a few of my pocket knives with it. The man also removed my belt, which had contained some ammo for my gun, that was now uselessly discarded across the room. He did not take my pocket knife that resided in my back pocket. I resisted the urge to smile. These guys were not as bright as I thought.

I watched as the men exited the room, and two of them positioned themselves outside of the door, acting as guards. I realized that I had little time to act, because the other three were probably sending an alarm. They could come back with more criminals, or go looking for Sam and Callen, who's whereabouts were currently unknown. Hopefully Nell and Eric were in close contact with them.

"Deeks?" I heard Kensi whisper softly, her voice weak.

"Yes, princess?" I whispered back, trying to disguise my worry.

"Why did you come? You could have..." She trailed off, just as I cut her off.

"I could have what, Kens? Abandoned you? Left you in the hands of these assholes? No chance. I'm sorry." I said, anger evident in my voice.

"No, but where's Sam and Callen? Backup?" She questioned, obviously disapproving of my choice to come save her by myself.

I shook my head. If only she knew how I felt, and understood my reasoning for coming alone. I hadn't done it as a suicide mission, I had done it for her. I didn't think, I had neglected to look ahead and come up with a reasonable plan. At the time, it only seemed reasonable for me to come in and save her. That had been the only thing in my mind that had made sense. I had planned to come in, save Kensi, and get back on with the mission. But, of course that didn't happen. No, in fact, the complete opposite had happened. Kensi was no safer now then she had been fifteen minutes ago, and now I was also trapped, chained to a large oak desk. My mission couldn't have gone much worse.

"I didn't think, Kensi! Okay? Is that what you wanted to hear!" I said angrily, my voice becoming progressively louder.

"You should have..." She began, before I cut her off again.

"I should have followed orders, and waited for back up. I know! But I didn't. You were too important to me..." I trailed off, the last part a little more than a whisper.

"What did you say?" She asked, dumbfounded, unsure what to make of my sudden revelation.

I inhaled sharply. This was it, and if I was going to die here anyway, I might as well tell Kensi how I feel about her. That way, if neither of us make it out of here alive, at least she would know. At least then, I would die knowing how she felt. At least then, my life would have ended with the knowledge of whether or not my love for her was unrequited. I sighed, preparing myself for speech. 'Now or never,' I thought to myself, before gathering all the courage I could muster.

"Kensi, I..." I began as a large bang sounded from the hallway.

My eyes immediately turned to the doorway, where I could see the guards had fled from. They were no longer by the door, and smoke and dust filled the hallways. Within seconds, shots rang out, filling the air with harsh noises. Bullets flew rapidly, and pierced through the walls, causing debris to fill the room of our containment. I glanced nervously towards Kensi, only to notice that smoke and dust clouded my vision. I couldn't see her, yet I knew she was still there.

"Kensi!" I yelled over the gunshots.

"Deeks," I heard her weak, muffled response.

I remembered the knife that was in my back pocket, and strained to reach it. My fingers fumbled nimbly, unable to grab the item due to having fallen asleep minutes ago. I flexed them, trying to bring the blood back into them, trying to regain circulation. My head spun nervously, trying to scan the smoke filled area. The gunshots still sounded, and I tried to block out the sound. I focused on reaching into my pocket, and after a few attempts, I finally grasped the knife. Pulling it out of my pocket, I tried to conquer up a plan to escape.

My thoughts were muddled, and it became difficult to think clearly. The only idea that came to me was to slit my wrists, and use the blood as a lubricant. I dragged the knife along my paled flesh, drawing blood onto the skin. I ignored the searing pain, as I pulled my wrists against the cold metal of the cuffs. It took multiple efforts before they slipped free, and when they did, it was hard to stand. My feet hurt, stepping against the sharp shards of glass that coated the floor. My feet instantly split open in multiple places, and they bled heavily. All of the crimson liquid that spilled out of my veins, made it difficult to walk without slipping. The pain was immense, but tolerable.

I limped my way towards Kensi, still unable to see clearly through the smoke. "Kensi!" I called, hoping for a response.

Their was only silence, and I became worried. Kensi should have responded, and she was strong enough to say something. Multiple scenarios suddenly ran through my head, and none of them were good. What if one of the men came back and took her? What if her injuries were worse than I thought? What if she was too injured to speak? What is she was dead? I shook away the negative thoughts, and called for her once more, louder this time. "Kensi!"

"Deeks.." I heard her broken voice say, from only a few feet away.

I walked towards the sound, and she soon came into view. But she wasn't alone. No, a man was holding her, with a knife held against her neck. The knife was kissing her skin, and blood trickled down the column of her neck from the contact. Her collar was stained red, and her hair was pressed into some of her wounds. I could see the fright in her eyes, along with her pain. The mere sight of her this way almost broke my heart into a thousand microscopic shards, and I desperately wanted to help her.

"One step closer and she dies!" The man shouted loudly, while tightening his grip on Kensi. He didn't seem to notice the knife that I was holding, so I tucked it behind my back, hiding it from his gaze. I raised my hand in submission, trying to buy time to make a plan. I could kill the man, but it would be to risky for Kensi. If I moved in a way that the man did not approve of, he could plunge his knife into Kensi's flesh, and that would kill her without a doubt. I would have to distract him, and make him pull the knife away from her. Then, I could strike him and kill him.

"I am unarmed, don't hurt her..." I begged, trying to convince the man to loosen his hold on the knife. He relaxed a little, and I nodded at Kensi. She looked at me wearily, as if there were no escape, but she moved anyway. As fast as she could manage, she ducked out of the man's hold, and kicked him in the abdomen. He fell back, clutching his gut, before recovering and lunged towards Kensi. I tossed her my knife, and she caught it by the handle.

Despite her injuries, she turned around, and plunged the weapon into the man's chest. He coughed, staring at his chest in disbelief. Blood bubbled around the hilt of the knife, and poured down his shirt. His mouth opened, as if he was about to speak, but no words were formed. Instead, blood poured from his mouth, spilling over his chin, and dripping down his neck. I watched uneasily as the man crumpled to his knees, his left hand clasped around the dagger as if he was trying to pull it out of his chest, before he finally fell lifelessly to the concrete floor below.

I glanced at Kensi, who was pale. Blood was still pouring down her neck, and I knew that I had to get her put of there. She needed medical help, immediately. The gunfire had slowed, yet shots were still being fired back and fourth. I hoped that Sam and Callen were out there, preferably with backup, and ready to get us out of there. Kensi was barely able to walk, so wrapped an arm around her. She glanced at me, with as much defiance as she could muster, trying to convince me that she did not need help walking.

"Kens, come on. You're hurt, and I'm going to help you get out of here." I stated authoritatively, and she stopped fighting me.

She placed most of her weight on my shoulder, and I began to lead us in the direction of the doorway. The smoke had lifted a little, allowing me to see clear enough to find my way through the fallen debris. I lead us through the obstacle course of furniture, before pulling us off to the side of the door. Kensi glanced uncomfortably at me, knowing what we had to do next.

"Stay here." I whispered. "I will look for Callen and Sam, and come back for you. Okay?"

She nodded, and I helped her to the ground. Kensi rested her back against the wall, and tucked her feet under her small frame. She looked uncomfortable, but I had little time to give her comfort. My hands slid down her arms, before reluctantly letting go. I took a step back, looking at Kensi like it was the last time I would see her. It might be the last time I see her. I shook away that thought before turning around, and walking towards the doorway.

"Deeks," Kensi muttered weakly, causing me to pause and look at her over my shoulder.

"Be careful, please." She requested, worry etched into her blood coated features.

I nodded in response, choked up that she would say that. Kensi was never one for soft moments, and that was definitely soft. Maybe it was from the threat of imminent death, or maybe, just maybe, my love for her wasn't unrequited. Maybe, but I better not get my hopes up. After all, we were partners, so we were supposed to have a special bond. Romance was also forbidden between us, the rules made that clear.

I shook her out of my mind, and turned back to the doorway. I grabbed a pistol that was laying on the floor, and placed my knife into my left hand. Deciding that I was as prepared as I would get, I stepped out into the open, into the line of fire. The hallway, was filled with smoke, and was almost unrecognisable. Everything was coated in bullets, and dust fell from holes in the walls. A ceiling fan had fallen from the ceiling, and I figured that was the source of the noise that I had originally heard. The floor was coated in pieces of sheetrock, and not a single path was accessible.

I ducked to the side as a few bullets flew past my head. Searching for cover, I spotted an overturned table, and sprinted across the hallway towards it. I felt a bullet graze my bicep, and winced at the pain before I ducked behind the overturned object. Blood trickled down my arm, and I glanced down to look at the pistol. Upon inspection of the chamber, I noticed that it only had two bullets inside, making it almost useless in the fight. Given, since I could only see shadows, I refused to shoot, due to the fact that my team was probably in the fight.

I stayed behind the table, occasionally looking up. Once I spotted a criminal, and I used one of my shots to kill him. The bullet had soared straight through his skull, and he had crumpled to the ground upon impact. I spun my hand around the chamber, putting the next bullet into position. Looking back over my cover, I noticed another man standing only two feet away. I raised my arm, and threw the knife at him. It pierced through his back, and he had time to look back at me before he fell. Blood poured out of his mouth, and I heard him curse before finally succumbing to death.

I gulped at the gory scene around me. Bodies lay amongst the debris, and blood was spattered everywhere. The walls, no longer deep blue, were white and crimson, and threatened to fall over, the support beams were the only things holding them up. I saw a few of the officers, who I had spoken to before entering the building, laying lifelessly along the ground. Guiltily, I was glad they were not Sam or Callen, who were out of sight. I figured that they were still shooting the occasional shot, killing the last of the bad guys.

**AN: One more chapter left... and then I have plans of finishing my other two fics, so I can start a fic about the Mortal Instruments. I loved those books, and the movie, so I definitely want to write about it. Anyway, thanks for reading. Please review, it would be as meaningful as giving me a ton of cookies. :P. Have a good day everyone. (Dont forget to view my profile, and read my other fics, thanks!)**


	3. Through Another's Eyes

Chapter 3: Through Another's Eyes

**AN: Here is chapter three, and I am happy to say that I updated faster than I thought I would. I wrote this instead of doing my homework one day. ;) Anyway, this chapter is in Callen's point of view, and features some Nallen. I hope you guys like the change in views, and this little recap. Please review, and thanks to everyone who has followed and favorited. Also, pkease check out my profile, and my other fics. Thanks, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA, all rights go to Shane Brennan, and his people at CBS.**

Callen POV: 

I stepped down the last of the rickety stairs, my feet hitting the cold concrete of the basement. There were no lights to be seen, the only light shining through the dingy windows, and spilling from the hallway. I paused, pulling out my flashlight before gripping it over my gun. I flicked the switch located on the object's side, allowing its light to tear through the darkness.

Moving my hand from the left to the right, I took a brief scan of the room. The walls were made from cracked slabs of concrete, and had moss growing through its seams; giving the room a creepy run-down-garden look. Shoots sprouted up from the floors as well, overgrown and unkempt. manacles littered the floor, new additions since the hotels closing. Old pieces of broken furniture laid strewn across the floor, decomposing in the filth of the room. In a far corner, there was a small hall that led off to another room, which was probably looking even worse then this one.

I sighed before glancing towards Sam. He had a look of pure consentration sewn onto his face, his eyes scanning the room nervously. His brow was furrowed, displaying a crease in the middle of his forehead, and his lower lip stuck out farther than usual. His arms were tense, supporting his steady hands, which were gripped tightly around his gun, his fingers skimming across the trigger. Sam allowed his own light to sweep across the room, his arms turning in a slow arc, displaying the entire room in small pieces.

"I don't see anything," I whispered from a few feet away.

Sam nodded in agreement, before motioning me forward with his wrists. I walked ahead of him, towards the far right corner. Sam followed behind me, silently, as I kicked open the door to the hallway. The door, being old and well rusted, snapped of its hinges easily, making a large thump as it hit the floor. I stepped over the fallen heap of rust, keeping my gun on point ahead of me.

The hallway was short, leading into another disgustingly unkept room. Like the other, the walls were concrete, and covered in moss and other greenery. The floor, was covered in various stains, most of which crimson in color. Dried blood rested in large puddles around the room, and a few human bones could be spotted in some of the corners, some fingers, toes, and the occasional arm. The room stunk of urine and vomit, making me want to gag. I glanced at Sam.

"Let's check in with the nerds. There is nothing here."

He chuckled to himself. "Sure G, lets talk to your girlfriend, its not like you don't talk to her all day..."

"What?" I questioned indignantly, wondering what had brought him to say that.

"You heard me. I know all about you two.." Sam said casually, while waving a finger at me.

"I don't know what your talking about." I stated, knowing this was an uphill battle that I would probably lose. Sam knew me too well.

"I see the way your eyes light up whenever you see her. I watch as you always sit next to her whenever possible. I noticed your rage as you saw her kissing Eric. She feels the same about you." He continued, while a wild grin found its way to his face.

I resisted the urge to say, 'She does?!', and ended up settling for a grin. I have had feelings for the young intelligence analyst for a year now, and my opinion on her was only growing stronger. Every day, I try to clamp down my feelings, and hide them from my team. Apparently, I was unsuccessful, because Sam seemed to know everything about this, which I was disappointed in. I had wanted to keep my feelings for her a secret, due to rules and all that, but I also felt bad due to our age difference. Surely, no one so much younger could like me like that. Sam was probably playing me.

"Sure, Sam. Keep telling yourself that your a love doctor, and maybe someday it will be true." I said bitterly, knowing that we should get back to the raid.

"Stop denying it, G. You know its true. It won't belong before everyone finds out. At least, everyone except Deeks..." He added the last part as an afterthought, before I cut him off.

"Shut up Sam!"

"If you insist..."

I groaned while rolling my eyes, before moving my left hand away from my gun. I reached my fingers up to my ear, and pressed lightly on the earpiece that was embedded in it. I waited for the connection noise before I began to speak.

"Nell, Eric." I called, before entering the pass code of the day. (Which, was still Fluffy bunnies, as chosen by Eric.)

"Hey, G." Nell chirped happily. "What's up?"

"There is nothing in the basement. Where's Deeks?" Sam interrupted, obviously not in the mood for my "shameless flirting" with Nell.

"Um... About that." Eric stalled, dread etched into his tone.

"What?" I demanded, concerned for Deeks, as much as I hated to admit it.

"We lost connection with him, and Kensi. Their last known position was on the third floor." Nell squeaked softly, as if expecting to be admonished for letting this happen.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sam questioned worriedly, anger laced into his voice.

"Kensi disappeared, and then Deeks purposely disconnected, so he could look for her." Nell filled in.

I sighed. Deeks and Kensi were obviously attracted to each other, which was both good and bad for the team. It was good, because they had a great bond and relationship, and if they got together, they would be happy. But, they weren't together, and that was the bad part of their relationship. Their sexual tension was heavy and looming, constantly bearing down on them. Both of them refused to act upon it, which lead to problems, and problems meant errors, and errors mean injury or death. In the end, something needs to be done about them, and I swiftly concluded that I would have to get on them about that.

"We're heading up now, get the swat team to go with us." I stated coldly, before walking out into the darkened hallway.

"Okay. Will do." Eric said, before moving to disconnect.

"Bye, G!" Nell chirped before they disconnected. Sam chuckled lightly.

"Told you she liked you back."

"Shut it, Sam." I growled, feigning anger.

I watched as he simply shook his head, before we walked towards the staircase, and began walking up the three flights of stairs ahead of us. I no longer needed my light, the stairs had multiple lights on them, illuminating the walls. I wondered why they would light up the stairs when no one is in the basement. That is quite odd. I guess that criminals don't care about wasting electricity. They probably don't pay the bills anyway...

"G!" Sam whisper-shouted, successfully snapping me out of my reverie.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah?"

"I asked you what the plan was. We're on the landing for the third floor."

Oh. I guess I was abnormally deep in thought. I hadn't even noticed that Sam had been talking to me, let alone remember about the raid. Hell, I was really off today, which was not good. Deeks and Kensi could be in trouble, and I needed to help them. Allowing myself to become distracted was not a good thing at the moment.

"Umm... We should clear the area, and if we see Kensi or Deeks, we kill anything in the way in order to get to them." I said, pretending to have control over the situation.

Sam saw right through my bluff, and instantly called me out on it. "You okay, G?"

No, I'm not okay, Sam. "Yeah, let's go."

I could tell he didn't believe me, but he pulled out his gun anyway, quickly swinging it on-point. He lead, kicking open the door that opened to the third floor hallway. Sam stepped to the left, scanning the hall while I entered. I pointed my gun around the room, scanning for immediate danger. Seeing none, I kept my fingers locked on the trigger, while I moved to the right. I could see Sam in my peripheral vision, already clearing the separate hotel rooms. I followed suit, clearing all of the rooms on the right side of the hall, while he cleared the rooms along the left side.

I had cleared three rooms before I heard gunshots, closely followed by a large crash. I turned abruptly, pointing my gun in the direction of the noise. I saw that a large ceiling fan had fallen to the floor, which I figured had been the cause of the crash. As for the gunshots, I saw Sam leaning his back against the wall as bullets peppered the door to his left. While the enemy reloaded, I crossed the hall, to join Sam by the door.

"How many?" I asked him in a whisper, my tone hard and demanding.

"At least six in this room. I think there may be more. I saw Deeks..."

"Was he okay?" I asked worriedly, concern coating my tongue in an unavoidable layer of hopelessness.

"I think so... But I couldn't see Kensi."

More gunshots rang out, causing me to press my back harder against the wall. Shouts spilled out from the room, barely audible over the sounds of firearms. The men sounded angry, that much was clear from the words I made out. Curses spewed persistently from the criminal's mouths, making the men sound nasty and vile. I waited for a pause in their firing, a signal of reloading, it was a full two minutes before that break came.

"NCIS! Drop your weapons!" Sam and I shouted in unison, while standing in the doorway.

The men looked at us evilly, while I counted them. There were eight, and I could see Deeks chained in the back of the room to a wooden desk. He was facing the other way, unable to see us, but I instantly recognized him. His golden locks were unruly and untamed, and his wrists were bleeding. I also saw the indentation of a small knife in his back pocket. He was planning on escaping. It brought a grin to my face, my pride swelling temporarily with glee.

"We are the Cabal of the Stolen Children! We refuse to yield to cops!" One of the men bellowed, his gun aimed at us once again.

I shared a worried glance at Sam, before we both swiftly ducked out of the doorway, into the opening of the hallway. "Looks like were going to have a shootout." I stated.

"Who are the 'Cabal of the Stolen Children?" Sam asked.

"They were in the Mafia, until some children started getting stolen by the Mafia. The children were sold into slavery, raped and tortured. These men, risked their lives to leave the mafia, only to form their own corrupt gang of criminals, called 'The Cabal of the Stolen Children.'" I explained, leaving out details due to the imminent danger we were facing. I had no time to explain their story.

"So they're sadists?" Sam clarified.

"Kinda. They are the Mafia with a soft spot for children." I stated, while bullets started flying past our heads.

"Where is the Swat Team?!" I cursed loudly, knowing we were in desperate need for backup.

As if called, the Swat Team's footsteps sounded on the stairs above. They started pouring through the door, giving us an extra fifteen people. We now had numbers on our side. If we could lure them out, we could slaughter them, or convince them to surrender, though I highly doubted the latter. Criminals almost never surrendered, let alone ex-Mafia members.

But, before we could get into position for the firefight, a door at the end of the hall suddenly opened, and men poured out of the new opening. They all supported automatic weapons, and all had muscles to spare. Each man's body was similar to Sam's, heavily built and wide with strength. Turning my head to the left, I watched as the other gang members poured into the hallway, also holding their weapons. The roles had reversed quickly, and now we were the ones greatly outnumbered. They had about thirty-five men, where as we only had seventeen. I instantly concluded that this fight was not going to end well.

"We are the Cabal of the Stolen Children. Drop your weapons and surrender. You have no chance, and we will not yield for you. Our course has been set, and we refuse to sway from it." Said a taller man, who was probably one of the leaders.

"NCIS, drop YOUR weapons!" A SWAT member yelled, before I shot him a warning glance, which shut him up.

The COTSC member shook his head, before speaking once more. "We do not wish to harm you, but if you do not surrender, you shall grant us no choice."

"It's like he is trying to do good.." Sam said, while scowling. "He wants us, to surrender. We are the law, and they are measly criminals. Who do they think they are?" He continued airily.

"Last warning!" The man shouted, motioning for his 'army' to raise their weapons.

"Shoot." I whispered softly to Sam, watching as he raised his arms, and squeezed his fingers.

The bullet leaped out of his gun, racing through the air, before landing in the chest of the Cabal of the Stolen Children member. He continued to look at us defiantly, before shouting an order to his men. They raised their weapons just as the leader fell, blood pooling around his lifeless body. Within seconds after his death, the mob of gangsters quickly began firing their weapons, and we were forced to take cover.

Smoke filled the air, and soon it was impossible to see through the large cloud of dust. I could just barely spot Sam, who was only two feet to my right. Our team shot blindly, while the Cabal of stolen Children did the same. The whole scene was messy, and confusing. This small war was welly muddled, and nothing anyone was doing was within reason. It was against protocol to shoot blindly at random targets, hoping to hit an enemy, and not a friend. I hoped desperately that Deeks and Kensi were okay, and that they had not fallen by friendly fire.

Minutes passed, and the shooting slowed on both sides. I knew that many had died, from both our side and theirs. Every inch of the wall was peppered in bullet holes, as with every corpse. Sam was okay, although he had been grazed by two bullets, both in his left bicep. I walked forward, just as all shots stopped. The last member of the Cabal of the Stolen Children had probably been shot and/or killed.

But as I advanced, I could just make out a patch of golden hair, protruding out from behind a table. The table was overturned, as if it was used for a shield. Bullets had peppered the top of it, leaving splintered trailed of wood in their wake. As I grew closer, I became almost positive that the man hiding behind the table was Deeks. So, I walked closer and called for him.

"Deeks?"

**AN: Okay... so I had originally said that this was the last chapter...and well, I guess I lied. Not that that is a bad thing in this scenario, but whatever. Anyway, I hoped you all liked this chapter, and it being told in Callen's point of view. Next chapter will be back in Deek's point of view. I hope you guys did not mind the change in views, and if you did, I am sorry. This chapter was also a recap, in a different view. Nothing new had happened, I had just felt like squeezing in some Nallen. :) So, again, I hoped you enjoyed it, please review. Reviews mean a lot to me since I am very young and new to writing. Thanks, and have a great day!**


	4. Loveless and Cold

Chapter 4: Loveless and Cold

**AN: Here is chapter 4. I would like to thank everyone who had reviewed, followed, or favorited this story. It means a lot to me, just to have all of this support. But, I would still like to see some more reviews for this chapter. The faster I get encouragement and support, the faster I tend to post the next chapter. Which, I am pretty sure the next chapter will be the last, and it will be in Deeks' point of view. Anyway, thanks for reading, please enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS LA, all rights go to Shane Brennan and his team at CBS. This piece is written strictly for entertainment purposes only.**

Deeks' POV:

I waited impatiently as the gunshots progressively slowed, eventually stopping entirely. I was still crouched behind the large overturned table, blood still pouring out of my wounds. During the firefight, I had been shot twice, one of the bullets going straight through my arm. The other bullet had grazed against my leg, and the wound was bleeding profusely. The pain would have been excruciating, had I not been pumped on adrenaline, or had a high threshold for pain in general.

I waited thirty seconds before I ducked out from behind the overturned table, leaving its protection. The clouds of dust were already lifting, allowing me to finally see the full extent of the war. Bodies were strewn all over the floor, and blood coated every surface. The whole scene was gruesome, and I suddenly felt guilty. I was secretly glad that none of these bodies were Callen or Sam's, when these bodies also belonged to men with families. It was going to be a long week breaking the news to all of their loved ones...

Snapping out of my reverie, I began to look harder for Callen and Sam. I needed to find them, and show them where I left Kensi. In my injured state, I found myself unable to bring her out of the building by myself, and none of these dead officers were going to help me. I continued to scan the room, becoming more desperate to find them. Certainly, they were here, how else would the fight have broken out? I was about to enter another one of the rooms to continue searching, but I stopped as I heard someone speak.

"Deeks?" I heard a voice question softly, as if it was surprised.

Turning, I looked in the direction of the voice. I found myself sighing in relief as I spotted Callen, walking out of the shelter of dust. His clothes were tattered, and his skin was cut and cruised, but he appeared to be fine. Tired, depressed, and emotionally unstable, but physically okay. His vest was still intact, and there was only a little blood splashed onto his skin. Callen had fared better then all of the rest of the men that had fought in this war, that much was obvious.

"G..." I whispered, incredibly happy to see him.

His eyes suddenly narrowed, before he spoke again. "Where's Kensi?"

I gulped, suddenly remembering how much trouble I was in. In the past hour, I had broken numerous rules, and disobeyed multiple aspects of the federal code and guidelines. By purposely disengaging all of my contact with the team to save Kensi, I had risked my life, along with the lives of others. When I had gone rogue, neither Nell or Eric knew if I was safe. Sam and Callen didn't know that I had gone missing. I had risked the success of the raid to save the woman I loved. Even loving that woman was breaking yet another rule, about dating partners and coworkers. Hell, I had broken more rules today than I had in my whole entire time working at NCIS.

"Deeks. Where. Is. Kensi." He growled angrily, obviously not approving of my choice to 'drop everything' and save Kensi.

"She's in room 303. Back there on the right." I said while pointing towards the room.

Callen scowled at me once more before turning to walk away. I could hear him mumbling, but I didn't care to make out what he was saying. It was probably something that I wouldn't want to hear anyway, so I let him walk off. I stood in place, self loathing momentarily as I thought about my actions. Kensi was now safe, possibly because of me, but now another thirty men were dead. Was it worth it? To me, hell yes. To the rest of the world, probably not. Kensi was amazing, but not more amazing then thirty innocent lives.

I felt a large hand on my shoulder. Glancing down at it, I saw the dark skin of Sam's calloused hand. My eyes traveled up his arm, stopping temporarily to eye a bullet graze on his bicep. He had gotten shot in the fight, and it was all my fault. I had been the reason for Sam getting hurt. I adverted my eyes, pulling them back towards the concrete floor. The same concrete floor that was covered in the blood of innocent officers. The same floor that held the weight of many lifeless bodies. The same floor that was lifting many souls, all because of me.

"Deeks... This wasn't your fault." Sam said softly, keeping his strong hand on my shoulder.

"Yes it was. I was the one who went rogue, all for a single woman. I was the one who broke protocol." I said glumly, before swatting his hand away. "I was being stupid, Sam; and because of it, all of these men are dead. I don't deserve pity, or for you to lie to me, attempting to offer me comfort."

He shook his head. "Deeks, you made some wrong decisions, but this war would have happened anyway, with or without you. What you did, stupid as it may seem, saved Kensi's life. And for that, you deserve something."

"I deserve nothing but hell, Sam. You know that. Me abandoning you was a mistake, a costly one too." I said, before moving to walk away, towards the exit.

"Although your love for her is seemingly unrequited, it isn't. You know that, right?" Sam said seriously from behind my retreating frame.

I paused. Although I knew my love for her wasn't exactly well hidden, I didn't know that Sam knew so much about it. After all, the man was no love doctor, no matter what he thought. He had been through a divorce himself, and a remarriage. Yet, here he was, pretending to be an expect on my love life, which he obviously wasn't. I knew this because my love for Kensi was unrequited, and anyone could tell that. A monkey could see that. Our love was strictly one way.

"She doesn't love me, Sam. You of all people should be able to see that..." I trailed off, taking another step towards the doorway, which was now only five feet away.

"Wow, both you and G are oblivious to how your loves feel about you. With all the flirting you do, I would have thought that you would have at least seen her true feelings for you." Sam said, adding a nervous chuckle at the end of his statement.

"She doesn't love me. Any fool would know that." I stated bitterly.

"Ah, but I am no fool, Deeks, and I know she loves you. Go see for yourself. Tell her, I bet she will say it back. Go get her, Deeks." He said, giving me a single wink from over his shoulder, before walking away from me.

I watched his form step farther away from me, towards the other end of the hall. He reached the door at the end, which lead to another set of stairs, and tugged it open. He looked once over his shoulder before nodding to me, and disappearing behind the large slab of oak. He had closed the door behind him, once again leaving me alone amongst all of the lifeless bodies. I shook me head, took a final glance around the room, and walked towards where I had left Kensi.

I reached the door for room 303, and slowly turned the circular doorknob. It turned smoothly in my hand, despite the years of misuse, and the door soon opened, revealing the familiar room. At first, I didn't see anyone, and only the oak desk and some manacles were in my sites. However, upon closer inspection, I could spot Callen's small, yet sturdy, frame bent over a woman's. The woman, who I quickly identified as Kensi, was laying motionless in a large pool of blood. Next to them, was a large man, who had a large bullet hole in his chest. I recognised the man as one of my captors, and I also noticed that this man was dead, his chest no longer heaving with breath.

Callen's head turned towards me as I entered, a worried look etched onto his face. "She isn't doing that well, that man was hurting her when I came in."

I let a look of astonishment pass over my features. I had left Kensi, alone, and defenseless, while I had forged into the firefight. I had put her life at risk, and had refused to protect her. Given, the man hadn't been in sight when I had left, and I hadn't meant her no harm, but that didn't make this okay. What had I been thinking, leaving her alone like that? Oh wait, I guess I hadn't been thinking.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know, Deeks. She has a lot of stab wounds, and she was shot..."

"She was shot?!" I interrupted loudly, not allowing him to finish.

Callen only nodded, too concerned to be angry at me, or bother speaking. He motioned me over with his hand, beckoning me towards him. I rushed over, bending down to be at eye level with him. This close to Kensi, I could finally see the extent of her injuries. She had been shot in the right shoulder, and her body was marred with cuts and incisions. Her clothes, were stained with large blotches of red, and were torn everywhere, barely covering most if her skin. Normally, seeing this much of her skin started a dream sequence, but now, it only increased my concern.

"What should we do?" I asked quickly, my voice barely a whisper, yet I knew Callen had heard me.

"Get Sam," he began, tossing me his earpiece. "and get Nell and Eric to beckon an ambulance."

I nodded before rushing into the hallway, which was still littered with bodies. My fingers fumbled numbly around the earpiece, before finally tapping the connect button, and holding the piece up to my ear. The connection sound seemed to take forever, and when it finally came, I quickly shouted the emergency code. The code, which rarely changed, was 'pinecones'.

"PINECONES, PINECONES, PINECONES!" I shouted frantically, trying to get a quick response.

"Deek's? What's wrong? Where's Callen?" Nell asked rapidly, and I could barely understand her rapid-fire questions.

"He's fine, Nell." I stated bitterly.

Of course Nell would be concerned for Callen's safety. Despite both of them denying it, they both had a thing for each other. Nell flirted with G shyly, every time she got the chance. G, on the other hand, barely flirted, but he was always by her side. Nell thought that G didn't like her that way, due to the fact that they were almost exact polar opposites. G, thought that Nell didn't like him that way, due to the age difference. He thought that she thought he was too old for her, and therefore refused to ask her on a date. Nell claimed that she was too nerdy for his liking, and that women shouldn't ask men out, it should be the other way around. Even with that said, they both still had strong feelings for each other.

"Then what's wrong?" Eric asked.

"Kensi needs an ambulance, as soon as possible. She was shot, and is loosing blood as we speak." I explained clearly, making sure that they could understand me.

I heard gasps on the other end of the line. "Okay, it's ten minutes out. Is she going to be fine?"

I hope so. "I don't know."

"Oh my gosh, I hope she is. I am so sorry, Deeks." Nell said softly.

I sighed. Apparently, everyone in the office knew about my feelings for Kensi. Even though I had tried to hide them, everyone seemed to see right through me, even the socially awkward computer nerds. Nell had said that line with such pity, like I was going to loose the love of my life. Which, now that I think about it, if I do lose her, that would happen. 'Shut up, Deeks!' I chided myself, 'she is going to be okay!'.

"Is there anything else that we can do?" Eric asked nervously.

"Yeah, call Sam, and tell him to get his ass up here. We need him." I said, before hanging up, not giving them enough time to say another word.

I walked back into the room, pulling the piece out of my ear, and handing it back to Callen. He took it, without looking at me, and shoved it harshly into one of his many pockets. He was currently trying to stop Kensi's profuse bleeding, as he wasn't being very successful. The shot in her shoulder was nearly impossible to stop from bleeding, due to its awkward placement. He had given up on that hole, settling with holding a bit of cloth over it. He was now working on some of her larger lacerations, tightly tying cloth around her wounds, binding them.

"The ambulance is ten minutes out, and Sam should be on his way. How is she doing?" I said, audible concern dripping from my words.

"Some of the wounds have stopped bleeding, but the bullet in her shoulder is gushing too fast, and I can't block it. She needs help, now, before she bleeds to death." He stated, his hands still moving along her fragile frame, patching up more cuts.

I turned around as I heard the door opening. Glancing at it, I watched as Sam entered the crappy excuse for a room. He had a sorrowful look in his eyes as he spotted Kensi, weak and bleeding. He walked over, bending over Kensi's crumpled frame, making Callen back out of the way. He inspected her briefly, before shaking his head in response to her unconscious form. Sam moved to the side of her head, and put his hands under her arms, preparing to lift her.

"G, lift her feet, and be gentle. We have to get her downstairs as soon as possible, and get her to the ambulance." Sam said, while Callen followed his directions.

"Deeks, take my gun, and make sure the area is cleared while we are going downstairs. I don't think there is anyone left, but we have to be cautious." Sam continued, tossing me his gun.

I caught it smoothly, and put it on point, leaving the room. Sam and Callen followed me out, and I lead them down the stairs. I glanced up the stairwell, and after seeing no sign of human life, began the trek down the stairs. Sam and G were slowed behind me, trying not to jostle Kensi, while still walking at a decent pace. As a result, it took us ten minutes to get down the stairs, and into the parking lot.

Sure enough, the ambulance was waiting for us. Once the hospital men had spotted Kensi, they had rushed over to us with a stretcher. They made quick work of strapping Kensi in, and placing her in the vehicle. I was about to jump in with her, when a strong hand held me back. It was one of the men that worked the ambulance.

"Sir, we have another ambulance coming, and you will have to wait for it. The girl is in no condition to have a friend riding with her. You would only get in our way." The man said almost rudely, before jumping into the back himself, and shutting the door behind him.

I watched in agony as the ambulance started, and pulled out of sight, leaving me loveless, and feeling cold. Even Sam's comforting hand on my shoulder did no good to ease my tension. I could only watch as the lights faded into the distance, the sirens no longer audible as the ambulance took Kensi to the hospital.

**AN: There it is. I hope everyone liked it, please review. After this fic, I will probably write another NCIS one, so keep an eye out for it. I am also writing about The Mortal Instruments, Twilight, and Lab Rats.**


	5. Insightful

Chapter 5: Insightful

**AN: Here is chapter five. It is the last regular chapter, but there will be an epilogue. I am very sorry for the delay, I was busied with testing and obsessing over Lance Sweets from Bones. I wrote three stories about him, which some of you might like. Anyway, thanks for reading, please review.**

I continued to stare blankly into the distance, despite the ambulance being miles out of view. It's sirens, once overly loud and disruptive, were no longer to be heard. The frantic voices, the rush of doctors, the voiceless stares of passerby's, no longer registered in my mind. My only thoughts were about the woman I love, everything else in the world seemingly nonexistent to my restless brain. Nothing else seemed to matter. I didn't want anything else to matter. Kensi was my everything, that much was clear, even if nothing else on this earth was.

"Deeks," Sam said from behind me, his voice soft and his hand still resting on my shoulder.

I remained silent, unable to form words that would come close to expressing my true feelings. There were none, and Sam probably knew this.

"She will be okay. You can see her soon, try not to worry to much in the meantime." He continued, managing to hide the waver in his voice.

I nodded slowly, hoping that Sam was right, that Kensi would be okay. If she wasn't, I knew I would never forgive myself for leaving her alone in that room. As it was, I knew she was injured, and in a significant amount if pain. That fact alone fired up my guilt, feeding it to no end, making me feel an emotional pain stronger than any other emotion, ten-fold. Yet, even with the pain of the nagging guilt, I felt no pity for myself. I didn't deserve it, just as Kensi didn't deserve to be injured, being hauled by ambulance to a nearby hospital. No, she deserved to be at home, eating a quart of Rocky Road, watching reruns of America's Next Top Model on her couch. She deserved so much more then what she had now, and for that, I deserved much less then what I had now. I should be rotting in pits of guilt, before slowly making my way towards hell. Thats what I deserved.

I finally tore my gaze away from the traffic-ridden street, only to look at Sam. His eyes were soft, his brown irises boring softly into my own golden orbs. He had no smile on his face, his expression lacking it's usual hidden cheeriness. There was no humor to be found on Sam's face, his brows lowered in sorrow and pity. Sadness made his eyes look glossy, as if tears could have been shed. Worry lines mapped across features, portraying his true worry and emotion. Sam did not know if Kensi was going to be okay. His previous words, only meant to reassure, had not been filled with known truth.

Sirens sounded in the distance, though I knew they did not belong to the same ambulance that housed Kensi's beaten and bruised body. These loud wails probably belonged to our source of transportation to the hospital, which was rumored to be another ambulance, smaller yet more generically equipped then the first. In all honesty, I couldn't bring myself to care too much about the matter. To me, an ambulance was just an ambulance, unless it contained one particular woman, whom I would not name at the moment.

Sam's gaze tore from mine, looking off towards the sound. His expression remained grim, but lifted the slightest bit at the sight, confirming my original suspicions. I looked numbly over my shoulder, despite practically knowing what I would see, and only further confirmed my original guess that our ambulance was coming for us.

The vehicle was red, the lights atop it also red, while sporting blues and whites. Silver steel coated the grill at the front of the van, and dragged along its sides, presumably coating the bumper as well. Yellow lettering and symbols were painted upon the doors, stating 'Los Angeles Emergency Vehicle, Van 5', while also showing the generic symbol of medical aid. The ambulance was spotless, and gave a sterile vibe, only serving to further depress my mood while it raced towards us at high speed.

It pulled into the lot, and Sam guided me towards the ambulance. It was only twenty feer away, yet I found it difficult to move my feet. My whole body felt numb, and oddly cold. Lifeless, even.

"Deeks, you will be okay. She will be okay. I still need you to walk for me." Sam said smoothly, nervous humor being displayed, yet I couldn't find the strength to call him out on it.

So, with much help from the big guy, I entered the ambulance and waited to arrive at the hospital.

* * *

~There is a lovely little line break here... Only those with the Sight can see it. :)~

* * *

The ride to the hospital was long, but bearable. It had probably been twenty minutes in the light traffic, despite it seeming like an hour. Sam had sat next to me the whole ride, trying to comfort me instead of his partner; who had been on the other side of the vehicle. Sam had rubbed my shoulders soothingly, trying to say reassuring words that would help. Of course, none of them did, but at least he tried, unlike G.

I could tell that G was pissed at me. He hadn't said a word the whole ride, even to Sam. He had focused his gaze on the floor, only looking at me once, in which he glared with a look that could kill. His silence was worse then his words at times, this being one if those moments. I knew he hadn't approved of my choices to begin with, but now with Kensi hurt, he was fuming with hatred. To say that Callen was pissed had been an understatement. He was furious.

We had entered the hospital an hour ago, and since then, little progress had been made. I had been checked out, and they insisted that I rest due to my bullet wound. Even after telling them that I was fine, and felt no pain, they still made me lay in bed. Or, rather, what is called a bed in a hospital. It is more of a concrete slab with paper sheets on top of it, but that is almost besides the point.

I hadn't seen Kensi since she left in the ambulance.

I had called for her, which had been no use. The nurses refused to tell me anything about her whereabouts, claiming secrecy and confidentiality concerns. I hadn't seen Sam either, and I guessed that was because of his own injuries. Callen had come by once, barely stopping in my doorway before leaving. He was still pissed, and unwilling to tell me where Kensi was, despite him being one of the only people who knew.

"You don't need to know." Callen said, suddenly reappearing in the doorway.

"Yes, I do. I know your mad at me, but seriously, G! I did all that to save her, not hurt her. Keeping me from her is doing no good for anyone, and you know that." I fumed angrily, making it known how upset I was while I clenched my fists.

He sighed audibly, rolling his eyes rudely. "I would like to think that, Deeks. But what you did today, was reckless. I'm not sure if you visiting Kensi would be what she wants at the moment."

Of course he would think that. Constantly following protocol, and all guidelines unless he was the one breaking them, Callen did what he thought was best. He saw Kensi as a younger sister, a family member that he would do anything to protect. He acts like a overprotective father whenever a team-member of his gets injured, willing to harm anyone who brings harm to his team. In his eyes, I was undeserving of sympathy from him, having harmed a loved one of his. Callen thought that Kensi did not want to see me, or that's what he wishes that she wanted. I had lost his trust with my actions, and he was unwilling to except that Kensi might actually want to see me, willing to do anything to keep me from seeing her. The only one that could convince him otherwise was Kensi herself, or possibly Sam. Other then that, nothing anyone could say would change his mind.

"Callen!" I said loudly, exasperation clear in my tone. "Ask her yourself. I bet she would like to see me."

G shook his head once again, dubious. "I doubt that. Lay back down, Deeks. Get some rest."

"Ugh!" I exclaimed loudly, my frustration beginning to get the best of me. "Just ask her!" I begged, clasping my hands together in a theatrical praying motion. "Please, G. For her. For me."

"Fine. For Kensi. I still doubt.."

I cut him off thankfully. "Thank-you. Really."

Another eye roll.

* * *

-Another Lovely Line Break-

* * *

I walked down the sterile hospital corridors, following closely behind Callen, who was walking briskly in a hope to shake me off his trail. He was still angry, but due to Kensi's request, he was reluctantly leading me to her room. At every corner and fork in the halls, he would walk faster, trying to disappear around a corner unseen by me. He was yet to succeed, even with my injuries. I would not be swayed at this point to see the love of my life. It had been hours since she had almost lost her life, and I had yet to see her. G would have to do way more to shake me off his trail, that was for sure.

"I can't believe she actually wants to see you." He mumbled to himself, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"Ha, ha. But she does. Jealous, much?" I teased him, knowing I was pushing my luck.

"Whatever."

We came to a stop in front of a hospital room on the third floor, two flights away from where I was staying. Callen studied the door carefully, as if debating how he should open the door, eventually knocking on the oak pane. After a mumble of approval came rom inside, he began to slowly turn the doorknob, taunting me with his lack of speed. The few seconds it took for him to open the door felt like minutes, even an hour of pure torchure, knowing the bliss that awaited but not being able to feel it. See it. The suspense was terrible.

The door finally opened all the way, showing the vast expanse of sterile whiteness. All four walls lacked color, the floors even tiled with cheap, white tiles that showed no pattern of any kind. All machinery was black or stainless steel, giving to room a gloomy and sterile vibe that made my stomach twirl into elaborate knots and tangles. The bed, coated in paper sheets that were an off white; housed a human form that looked fragile and broken. The heart monitor beeped slowly. Brunette locks spilled onto the pillow, giving the room only a slight amount of color. A vast contrast in my opinion.

"Kensi?" I whispered lightly, almost hoping that the frail figure was not her. It couldn't have been, it looked to weak, too peaceful.

The woman stirred, before turing her face in our direction, allowing me to see the full extent of her injuries. It had been Kensi, but her face was beaten to an almost unrecognizable state, bruises decorating the paled skin of her cheeks. Deep cuts and lacerations tore into hideous lines on her forehead and lips. Blood was matted along the frame of her face, sloppily cleaned. The doctors had been careless about making her feel and look decent. I felt the need to loathe them immediately.

Her weak voice spoke nervously. "Deeks, is that you?"

I nodded and rushed to her side. "Yes, I'm here, and I am so, so sorry Kens."

She smiled weakly. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for. You did hat you thought was right, and I'm okay."

"No, Kensi. Abandoning you was wrong. Callen agrees with me. Everyone agrees. I know you even think that, so stop lying to yourself and me. Just tell me the truth about how you feel. I can take it.." I rushed and babbled on, before she cut me off with a kiss.

Kensi turned her body awkwardly to prop herself up against me, gathering all of her strength and pouring it into that kiss. Her arms wrapped around me, one encircling my neck while the other groped at my torso, making me grasp her sides to offer support for her weakened body. Her lips massaged mine sweetly, desperation displayed despite her lack of strength and intention. I nipped at her lower lip, earning a groan from her in response, yet she offered no entrance for my tongue. She was tantalizing, yet I couldn't bring myself to care. At least we were together, and kissing.

The kiss broke off eventually, both of us left breathless while the heart monitor sped up. "Is that healthy?" I joked, referring to her quickened pulse.

She elbowed me playfully. "Shut up. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

**AN: There was the final regular chapter. I say regular because despite my original intentions, I plan on writing an epilogue. I know, I know. I keep making this longer then I originally planned. I can promise you that an epilogue will be the last addition. Reviews will make me write it, I am sorry for the long wait. I grew obsessed with Sweets from Bones and wrote a few stories about him. I also have been testing all week. It sucks. Anyway, please review and keep an eye out for the epilogue. Thanks to all of you readers.**


	6. Epilogue: Will You?

**AN: Okay, here is the hopefully much awaited epilogue. I broke it into a ton of mini-stories, which I hope you all like. I tried to be humorous at some points. No P.O.V jumps, but there are a ton of time lapses, so please be patient. I did it on purpose, as I thought it would make a cute epilogue thingy. Anyway, hope you like it, thanks for reading all this story, please review. LOVE TO ALL WHO HAVE FOLLOWED THIS THE ENTIRE TIME. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS Los Angeles, or any of the characters mentioned. I am making no money on this, all rights go to CBS and Shane Brennan. **

"Deeks, pass the salt."

"Why? You don't have enough sodium in your unhealthy diet as it is?"

"No, I just want some salt for my corn." She said, irritation clear in her voice.

"Fine, Kens." I said while passing the salt shaker, knowing that keeping Kensi healthy was a battle I could never win.

"Thank you."

I watched as she drenched the yellowed ear in salt, shaking the salt about twenty-five times in total. The mashed potato was also filled with sodium before she finally set the shaker down on the table. After she had put on enough salt, she moved on to adding a second coat of butter to all of her vegetables. Half a stick of butter was already on her food, and she added another with ease. The mashed potato was no longer white, instead it was a gross shade of yellow. Her peas were floating in a puddle of melted butter the size of Lake Huron. The corn was dripping with the yellow liquid, salt also flowing from the no-longer healthy ear. I fought the urge to vomit at the sight.

"Kens," I began. "How do you manage to stay in shape? Do you know how many hours in the gym it would take to work off all of that butter?"

She looked to the ceiling, pretending to calculate it. "Umm.. It would be about three hours of steady working out to work this off."

I rolled my eyes, knowing that she would go to the gym for several hours tomorrow, this meal being the reason. I had originally planned this dinner, filled with vegetables and grains, along with a decent amount of protein, to help her heal and get better. If I knew that she was just going to drench the food in salt and butter, I would have just gone for something else entirely. Kensi had made my perfectly healthy, and normal, meal into something that would kill your heart in the years to come. If I hadn't known her better, I would have been surprised. Maybe even disgusted if I hadn't loved her.

"Kensi, you just got shot and torchured three months ago. You should not be consuming all these terrible foods, or working out so much. The doctor said that you should ease your way back into the job. She said it could take a year for full recovery..."

"Screw what the doctor says. Did you get any ice-cream at the store?" Se said, finishing off the last forkful of her potatoes.

"Yes. Kensi, the doctor knows.."

"Rocky Road?" She interrupted, an inquisitive look on her face as she waited for an answer.

"Yes." I said peevishly, not even bothering to bring back the doctor subject. It just wasn't worth it right now, not with Kensi in one of her "hard as rock, nothing can touch me" moods.

"Good. Thank you."

I watched as she got up from her seat, plate in hand as she made her way to the kitchen. Her hips swished with laziness, not even bothering to attempt to be the least bit seductive. Various clangs sounded in the next room as she washed her plate, pressed it into the dishwasher, and walked across the kitchen to grab a bowl for her icy treat. She set the porcelain down on the counter.

"Deeks? You want some?" She asked, not unkindly, but slightly irritated.

"No thanks." I called back to her, staying put in my seat as she continued to make her way around the small kitchen.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Kensi, I'm positive."

"Your loss." She said as she came back into the dining room, a heaping bowl in her grasp.

"Don't think so." I bantered.

Kensi made no move to reply as she sat herself back down unceremoniously, spoon already in her mouth, hands moving to shovel the unnecessary calories into her face. She did not look up to face me for a few minutes, her focus remaining solely on the ice-cream that was set in front of her as I waited for her to finish. I continued to watch her voicelessly for another several minutes before she was done.

"What do you want, Deeks? You are staring at me with a look that makes me think that you are currently engrossed in some torrid fantasy of yours." She said agitatedly.

"Not a fantasy if it's happened before," I said smugly. "Which it has."

"Ugh! You are such a pig!"

"You wouldn't have me any other way."

"Wouldn't have you at all!" She countered, running out of comebacks.

"I beg to differ, based on last.."

"Okay! Fine, you win!" Kensi said dismissively, face going to her hands.

"Always do." I said softly.

She smiled slightly at that.

~Next Monday~

I walked into the bullpen, Kensi right behind me. "Deeks, I told you we should have stopped for donuts!"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Sorry for trying to preserve your health."

"I am healthy! In fact, I would have been better off if you had stopped at Dunkin Donuts on the way here!" She said, with too much theatrics.

"Tomorrow, Kens. We'll stop for coffee tomorrow."

"Whatever. Would have enjoyed it more today." Kensi said while letting out a large puff of air.

I sighed, passing Sam in order to sit myself down at my own desk. Papers littered the surface of my workplace, files piled in multiple places. Skimming the labels, I saw that all of the files were cases from the past year, all of which needing to be filed and entered into the online database. It was a task I had been dreading.

Sam laughed from behind his desk, his face still hidden behind a folder of his own. "Looks like you have a lot of catching up to do, Deeks."

"Haha. So do you, Sam." I said, humor somehow still in my tone.

Kensi cursed from her spot a few feet away. "Dammit! I just did a ton of paperwork on Friday! How do I still have more?"

Hetty walked into the bullpen at that very moment. "Ms. Blye, please watch your language in the workplace. Our file-keeping staff found some cases that need to be filed, hence why there are case files on your desk that require filing."

"But.." Kensi began, trying to reason with the petite woman.

"No buts, Kensi. You are all on desk duty today unless said otherwise." Hetty said, leaving the room.

"G's not going to be happy." Sam said softly.

Who was happy? "Really, Sam. I had no idea. After all, who doesn't love paperwork and desk duty?" I stated sarcastically.

Kensi glared at me with one of her death stares, instantly making me wish that I had stopped at Dunkin Donuts. Coffee and junk food would have put her in a better mood, and would have made the next few hours a little more pleasant. Callen and Sam could be grumpy, and I could care less; but when Kensi was in a lousy mood, everyone was affected.

I sat down, placing my bag under my desk. After a few more moments of staring at the seemingly endless paperwork, I calculated that there were about one-hundred files that needed to be taken care of. It would take me about fifteen minutes a case, for a total of one-thousand five-hundred minutes of filing and logging. That would be about twenty-five hours of constant work. Or, rather, two full days of work. I shouldn't have to do all of this by myself, simply as a penalty for being injured and caring for Kensi!

"Who wants to help me with my paperwork?" I asked jokingly, only expecting a few "hmmphs" or eye-rolls.

"No thanks, how much do you have? I doubt it's any more then the rest of us had to suffer through." G stated as he walked into the bullpen.

"Hey, G." Sam said boringly.

Kensi, being in her bad mood, didn't even acknowledge Callen's presence, only scowling and continuing to stare blankly at her desk. She had less work to do then I, but then again, she had to do work last Friday. I could understand her frustration, but I did feel as if she might be overreacting a little. I guess that was the coffee-craving part of her speaking...

"Morning, Sam. Deeks." He said, as if sensing Kensi's irritation.

"What's up with her?" Callen mouthed, hiding his mouth behind his hand, out of Kensi's vision.

Sam mouthed a "coffee" before getting back to his work, and I simply nodded in agreement. G smiled a little, knowing the woman well enough to realize that she was best unbothered until she calmed down a little, which would probably be in thirty minutes or so. Until then, I was left to banter with Sam and Callen.

"So, G, why were you late this morning?" I heard Sam ask.

"Slept in." The older man mumbled.

"With who? You don't sleep!" Sam egged on, waiting for G to crack.

He only chuckled a little, before responding. "That is none of your business."

"Nell, isn't it?"

"Woah. Who ever said anything about her?" Callen asked indignantly.

Kensi decided to join the conversation right then. "It's quite obvious that you two have a thing, G. We've been waiting for you two to act upon it."

We all looked up to the stair leading to ops as Nell stumbled up the stairs in a failed attempt to sneak in. Her hair was tousled, and it became apparent that she probably hadn't taken a shower this morning. Or last night, for that matter. She looked like she was coming off a high, and I think we all know why. It was no coincidence that both her and G were late, and arrived at practically the same time.

She looked at us with a nervous expression on her face, standing like a deer in the headlights for a minute before she finally walked away. Our gazes turned to Callen, only to see him shaking his head, knowing we had caught him.

Sam smiled. "Gonna keep denying it, G?"

"Nope, but it still isn't your business." He responded, feigning nonchalance.

"Callen, you do realize that there are no relationships in the office, right?" Kensi questioned, looking up from her case file.

"Ha. We all know that you're shacking up with Deeks, Kens. I'm pretty sure that removes your ability to tell me about that rule." Callen stated defensively.

"Touché." Kensi mumbled lightly.

~Next Sunday~

We all sat around a fire, cuddled up on logs as Callen fiddled around on his guitar. The song he was currently playing was some classical ballad, of which he was singing along softly to. Nell, being snuggled closely into his left side, sang along as well, and together they made a soft harmony. Sam was gently nodding along to the music himself, probably thinking of some way to incorporate a rap into the song. Even Kensi, from her spot next to me, was swaying slightly.

Nell and Callen finished off strong, with a final chord. "And that is why I adore you."

The rest of us clapped, earning a nice blush from Nell and a smile from Callen. G kept smiling for a minute, eventually waiting for us to quiet down. When we had, he bagan to speak.

"Nell and I have an announcement to make," He began, looking at Nell only to see her blush profusely once again.

I felt Kensi lean forward in anticipation, taking my hand subconsciously.

"Nell and I are seeing each other." He announced.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Gosh, G. We already knew this. I was hoping you guys were engaged or something."

Nell held up her left hand, which happened to be sporting a beautiful antique diamond ring.

"Yeah, we are actually." She said nervously, as if wondering what our responses would be.

Kensi stood up abruptly, and ran to the petite woman's side, pulling her into a hug. Nell laughed while they exchanged some incredibly girly words involving the wedding. I knew that if it was up to G, they would get married in a legal place, not even bothering to rent out a church or invite anyone. However, having proposed to Nell, and being the loving man that he is, I got the feeling that the wedding would be however Nell wanted it to be. That probably means that it will be cute, yet quirky, with flowers and friends and family. I was looking forward to it, actually. They were a lovely couple that deserves to be happy.

Sam walked over to G and gave him a bro hug. "Congrats, man. I'm happy for you."

I followed suit, also giving him a nice man hug, and offering my congratulations, before walking back across the circle to my spot next to Kensi, wrapping my arm around her waist. She smiled, yet I could tell that she was hiding something. She was upset, and I wanted to know why. The only way I could pry at her was if I got alone with her.

"Well, I'm going to hit the sack." I said with a fake yawn.

Sam and G nodded in sync. "Sure, Deeks. See you in the morning."

"Don't forget we're going fishing in the morning." Nell added.

I nodded and waved, before glancing at Kensi. She moved her eyes when our eyes met, only confirming my original suspicions that something was up with her. I decided that I would have to persuade her to come with me.

"Kens, you coming?" I asked.

"Umm.. I think I might stay here for a while." She said.

"It's fine Kens. As long as we don't hear what you guys are up to, we don't care." Sam encouraged, winking impishly.

I used the innuendo to persuade her. "Yeah, Kens. Even Sam approves."

Knowing she had lost, she nodded and walked to our tent. "Night, everyone."

I followed, and once we were inside, I closed the flap. "Kens..."

"Deeks, it's nothing. Just, go to bed." She said irritably.

"It doesn't look like nothing." I stated.

"But it is, so just leave me alone."

I watched as she climbed into her sleeping bag, rustling around to get comfortable. She was still obviously upset, a frown decorating her mouth as she furrowed her brows. Kensi's eyes were squeezed shut in a way that looked almost painful, making wrinkles form around her closed brown eyes. I could see that her hands were fisted into the blankets, clenching and unclenching with irritation.

"Stop staring, Deeks."

"Tell me what's wrong, Kens. What did I do?" I asked, worry etching into my tone.

"Nothing, Deeks. It's more of what you _didn't_ do." She said, mumbline the last part as an afterthought.

I tried desperately to connect the dots, but was unsuccessful. No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't find what I had done to upset her. Or as she had said, what I hadn't done for her. Was she still upset about last week and the lack of a trip to Dunkin Donuts? Or was she hung up on me trying to fix her dietary habits?

"Kens, is this about last week? If so, I'll take you to Dunkin. It's not that big of a deal..."

"No, Deeks. It's not about that. I'm just being foolish. Let. It. Go."

I bend over her, cradling her face in my hands, making her look into my eyes. "Kens, whatever it is, I'm sure its not foolish. Just tell me what's up."

She sighed before rambling. "It's just that Nell and G haven't been together as long as we have and..."

"They're engaged?" I guessed at what she was about to say next.

"Yeah." She confirmed.

I chuckled a little. "Are you jealous of them? Kens, I never thought you were the type.."

"Shut up, Deeks!"

She was all mad because G proposed and I hadn't? "Kens, I could do it right now, but I don't have a ring and it wouldn't be romantic."

"What? Who said I wanted you to propose?"

"Ouch Kens. That was a low blow, wouldn't you say?" I asked, hand on my heart, feigning hurt.

She rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"Dealing from the bottom, Queen of Hearts play fair.." I mumbled along to Sam's latest rap.

"Deeks, just go to bed. Okay?" She said, giving me a kiss and pulling me down next to her.

"Good night." I said.

"Night."

~Next Morning~

I woke to an empty bed, and the smell of bacon. Listening closely, I could hear Sam and G laughing, and the fire crackling. They were probably having breakfast with Kensi. Nell was probably asleep, I guessed, basing upon what I was hearing.

I casually got up and stretched, no longer worried about Kensi's disappearance. Pulling on a sweatshirt, I climbed feebly out of the tent; zipping the flap as I exited. When I turned around I spotted Nell walking out of her own tent, proving against my previous theory of her being with Callen, Sam, and Kensi.

"Morning, Nell. G leave you?" I asked lazily.

"Yep," She said, itching her tired eyes. "Kensi still asleep?"

"Nope. I woke up alone. Terrible thing isn't it?" I asked, catching up with the young woman.

"I agree, but G does that to me almost every morning."

I wasn't surprised. I have known G for a few years now, and that was just how he was. Everyone on the team knew about his insomnia, and we didn't question him about it. Sam had said before that G only makes it through the night if he keeps himself busy, so he often takes apart toasters during the night, putting them back together by morning.

We walked into the small clearing, instantly spotting the other three members of our team gathered around a small fire pit. Sam and G were cooking breakfast; bacon and eggs, while Kensi was watching with amused eyes. As I grew closer, I noticed what they were all laughing about.

The pan that they were cooking on was balancing precariously on an apparatus of tent poles while Callen tried to flip the food. Every time the spatula came in contact with the pan, the poles would bend and cause the whole thing to dangle slightly above the flames. Sam and Kensi were taking bets as to when the whole thing would fall to the blaze.

"I bet it won't last another five minutes." Kensi stated, before waving a few smaller bills in Sam's face.

"Yeah, right. I say it won't survive for two more minutes." He said proudly, pulling five dollars out of this pants pocket.

Callen feigned hurt, putting a hand on his heart indignantly. "Gosh, Sam. I thought after all of these years you would have gained a little faith in me."

"Sorry, G. If you haven't noticed, you're not the best chef, and your food is on fire."

"Haha. Wait, what did you say?"

Flames erupted from the pit, and the frying pan fell into the center of them. "Dammit," he cursed.

I felt Nell laugh from under my platonically placed arm, her whole torso vibrating from the series of shrill giggles. Kensi and Sam had also joined in on the fun; snickering at G, who was staring longingly at the flames. I began to chortle as well, watching as Kensi handed over her money to the larger agent. She was in such a good mood that she didn't even pause her laughter to complain, and her smile was not removed from her vibrant face.

"Har-har. I bet you guys haven't wondered what we are going to do next, considering that was the last of our food."

We all stopped abruptly, and my arms fell to my sides limply. "You burned _all_ of our food?"

"Yep, look who's laughing now." He said with a proud chuckle.

Nell rushed up to G's side, before quickly scolding him herself. "Why would you do such a thing?"

Callen made no move to respond to her question; instead moving to coat her lips in a deep kiss. Within seconds they were fully making-out, with their hands roaming and tangling into hair and clothe. The whole scene was becoming quite graphic, so I decided to speak.

"Guys, come on. No PDA, there may be some small children watching."

Callen chuckled, pulling away from a profusely blushing Nell Jones. "By a small child, you mean yourself, right Deeks?"

I had walked into that one, and for once, couldn't come up with a comeback. Kensi laughed at my speechlessness, and walked over so give me a playful punch in the shoulder. I feigned hurt, and she moved her mouth close to my ear so that she could whisper.

Her voice sent shivers down my spine. "Envious much, Deeks?"

I gulped, unable to pull myself together enough to even let out a nod in response to her seduction, and I almost whimpered as she walked away as if nothing had happened.

~Two Weeks Later~

It had been two weeks since our office camping trip; which had ended with Sam purchasing donuts and coffee for everyone, before we had gone home, skipping the planned fishing outing. On the drive home, we had all settled for singing along to a Stevie Wonder cd that Sam happened to have in his car, which we all found surprising due to his infatuation with the rap genre. By the time we had gotten home, we had enough time to play around in the sack, before going to bed and waking up the next morning to go to work.

Kensi's jealousy conversation hadn't been discussed at since, yet I still thought about it frequently. I could't help but wonder if she had meant all that she said, or if she did want me to "pop the question". Coming from a troubled past, I happen to have rejection problems, and I do not wish to be turned down when I propose to the woman of my dreams. Personally, I knew that Kensi was the one for me; but I had no idea if she felt the same. If she doesn't, I don't want to be humiliated for thinking she does. If I asked her to spend the rest of her life with me, and she said no, I would feel utterly betrayed. Why would she keep dating me if she didn't love me? Hopefully she wouldn't string me along like that…

A frantic voice snapped me out of my musings. "Deeks!"

I looked up, to see everyone in ops staring at me. Apparently, during my thoughts, I had missed the entire mission briefing. "Sorry, what?"

Hetty looked like she was about to scold me, but Nell backed me up with a nervous expression on her face. "The dead marine found on the docks, who do you think we should investigate first? His ex-wife, or his colleagues?"

I thought about that. Had I listened and paid attention to the briefing, I would have had a better idea of who to question first, but I hadn't, so I would have to make due with the information Nell had just provided. Kensi tapped once on my shoulder, which I figured was probably a signal to pick the former.

"I say we investigate the ex-wife first." I said boldly, trying to hide the indecision from my voice.

"Okay, Mr. Deeks. You all know where to go now. Get this murder solved, and quickly." Hetty said tersely, before walking out of the room.

Everyone began to question me rapidly, firing rapid statements of concern. "Deeks? What the hell happened right there?"

"Did you hear any of the briefing?"

"What was so important that you ignored your job associated duties?"

"What were you thinking about?"

"Are you okay?"

"Hetty's going to kill you…"

I shook my head and waited for them to stop before speaking. "I just got lost in thought, guys. Nothing to freak out about. Most of you do it all the time."

A series of "hmmphs" and "mhmms" followed, but everyone seemed to drop it. Sam and Callen took off towards the door, but not before G gave Nell a quick wink and a smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Erik wince, as if he didn't approve. I didn't blame him; it was obvious that he had a thing for her. But, Nell had never felt anything for him. He had virtually no chance with her, even if she broke up with G.

Kensi practically pulled me out the door, and to her car. When we were inside, she shoved the key in the ignition, but silenced the radio. She turned on the air conditioning, before turning towards me. Her expression was deadly, and she looked ready-to-kill.

"What the heck, Deeks?"

I slinked a little lower in my seat. "What?"

"Hetty's going to kill you! How could you miss an _entire _mission briefing?"

I was surprised at her bad mood. "I just got lost in thought, Kens. Nothing to worry about."

"Ugh!" She exclaimed loudly, before hastily pulling out of the parking lot.

"Why are you so upset?" I asked gently.

She hesitated before responding; knuckles white against the steering wheel.

"Deeks, I'm just in a bad mood."

I decided to lighten up the mood a little, or at least try to. "You weren't in so bad a mood last night…"

She rolled her eyes, but continued on anyway. "Callen and Nell are getting married this Saturday."

I began to see where this was going, but feigned innocence. "Yeah?"

So apparently Kensi hadn't forgotten about out conversation while camping. She was still jealous of them and still wanted to get married herself. I could only hope that she wanted it with me, and not someone else. Depending on how this conversation goes, I could propose to her on Sunday…

"We've been together for months." She stated plainly.

"Yeah, Kens?" I encouraged, truly wanting to know for sure if she felt the same about me.

Her next words were barely audible, and whispered. "I think I love you."

I almost choked, and was pretty sure I heard her incorrectly. "What?"

She spoke a little louder this time. "I love you, Deeks."

Kensi had looked away from the road as she said that, and I noticed a large truck barrel towards us, completely in our lane. I began to scream Kensi's name, but by the time she looked back the road, the truck had collided with us head on. The driver's side was hit hard, and the car was sent spiraling into the ditch. It was at that moment that arms of darkness claimed my consciousness, carrying me into the deep abyss of dreamless sleep.

~Los Angeles Hospital Six Hours Later~

I awoke to voices at my bedside. I felt so groggy and confused, and I found it hard to open my eyes. When I did, I found myself blinded by the brightness that poured from the sky. Blinking furiously, a few shapes finally came into view. The was white everywhere, and machines could be heard beeping all around me. I saw Sam leaning against the wall, phone to his ear, seemingly unaware of my being awake.

I could remember nothing of what happened, yet I was pretty sure I was in a hospital room. "Sam?" I croaked, finding my voice dry.

He looked up and spoke hastily into the receiver. "He's waking up now, G. I'll call you back."

He walked closer, pocketing the cellular device in his jeans. "How are you feeling, Deeks?"

I tried to move my limbs, and was met with a sharp pain in my left leg. I winced, and Sam noticed.

"Guess your leg is sore. The docs said that it was badly bruised, but not broken. You lucked out, besides that, you only have a broken rib. You could have died, Deeks." He said, the last words quite quiet and emotionally deep for the larger agent.

The memories suddenly flooded back to me. The conversation. My thoughts about her feelings. Her anger towards my aloofness during the briefing. Her revelation and distraction from the road. The truck barreling towards us; entirely in our lane. My hopeless cries, urgent but lost in the sunlight. The look of terror in he eyes as the truck struck us, hard. The vehicle rolling into the roadside ditch. Cold arms wrapping around my heart and pulling it into darkness. Me becoming unconscious, and finally waking in this hospital, bringing me to my current place, speaking to Sam.

"Is she okay?" I said abruptly, my voice urgent; breaking in the middle of my statement.

I tried to sit up, but the older man just pushed me back down onto the mattress.

"You're going nowhere, as that will do no one any good. As to how Kensi is doing, I haven't the slightest clue. G and Nell are with her right now, or at least waiting for her to wake up. She's been unconscious since the accident. To be honest, she took it a lot worse then you did, and it doesn't look good…"

"I have to see her!" I said, once again trying to get up, successfully ripping the IV out of my forearm.

Sam gave me a quick, "cut that crap out, you know I'm right" look, making me crumble back down onto the paper sheeting. "Sam, I have to…"

"It can wait. She isn't even awake yet."

"But…"

"No buts, Deeks."

"I have to.."

"Nope."

"Can I just.."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't you know the definition of the word no?"

"Yes, but,"

"Deeks. The answer is plain and simple. You are staying here." He said, punctuation his words with sharp hand motions and points.

I gave up on trying to talk sense into the man, and allowed him to walk to the door. "I'm going to go fetch a nurse," he said. "To reconnect your IV. Don't move."

I nodded and he continued. "I mean it, Deeks. If I come back and your gone, I'll go all SEAL on your ass."

I chucked and watches as his figure retreated out of the doorway. The instant he was gone, I unhooked every single wire that was connected to my body, and rushed out of the bed. I was almost out of the doorway when I remembered something. The ring that I had gotten Kensi for this Sunday was in my pocket. Or at least, it was before the accident.

I turned around and looked for my clothes. Luckily, I spotted them in a corner, set upon a chair. Feeling through my pockets, I made an audible sigh of relief as my fingers clasped around a small velvet box. Pulling it out, I brought it to my chest; holding it there as I jogged out of the room limping.

I ran from room to room, searching frantically to find Kensi. Seeing how luck appeared to now be on my side, I found her room after only fifteen attempts and several admonishings from worried relatives and nurses.

Looking into her room, I saw that G and Nell were curled up on a hospital chair, staring in awe as they spotted me in the doorway. My mouth dropped a little as I realized that I had completely forgot about them, and G was probably going to force me back into my own hospital bed. I watched in terror as he moved his mouth to speak.

"Deeks! What are you doing here? Sam said you were awake, but seriously!"

I was speechless, for yet another time in my life. "Um.."

Callen moved to say something once again, but Nell silenced him by speaking herself. "G, maybe we should leave him with her for a while, after all…"

"No way. I bet Sam is looking for him now. Besides, Kensi isn't even awake yet."

She sighed. "If it was _me_, what would _you _do?"

"Of course I would come and see you," He said, before realization finally hit him. "Oh.. I see your reasoning. But still…"

"See, G? You would do the same. Now leave him be. The doctor cleared him for release in a few hours anyway. He'll be fine, right Deeks?"

I nodded feebly as Nell walked towards the door, winking at me as she pulled G away.

"Thanks," I mouthed to her.

She only smiled in response, and I turned my attention towards the woman laying still on the hospital bed centered to the wall on my right. Her body was hopelessly unmoving, with Kensi's brown eyes clamped shut. Her mouth was pressed in a firm line, while her brows were furrowed as if she was deep in thought. I wanted her to wake up desperately, just to show that she was indeed okay.

I sat myself down on a nearby chair, which turned out to be quite uncomfortable. The padding was lumpy and odd under my rear-end, but I could barely bring myself to care. I would wait hours in this hellish room if it meant I could see Kensi's eyes open; or just any sign of her being alive and conscious.

Much to my displeasure, I had fallen asleep in that same chair only thirty minutes later; my body finally giving in to fatigue. After some unknown amount of time I finally awoke, this time to the ever-surprising sound of Kensi's sweet voice.

"Deeks?" She whispered hoarsely.

I looked up, and blinked the sleekness from my eyes frantically. "Kensi!"

I reached over and gave her a hug, only pulling away when she winced at the contact. "Sorry," I apologized.

She coughed a little. "It's fine…"

"Are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?"

She laughed a little. "I'm good, Deeks. Really.

The box in my pocket seemed to press itself deeper into my leg, making its presence known.

"I'm so sorry, Deeks. I should have been paying more attention.."

"Will you marry me?" I asked suddenly, not even bending down or pulling out the ring.

Surprise crossed over her features. "What?"

I made the more formal move, grasping her hand while I crouched down onto the cheap laminate tiling. Pulling out the diamond engagement ring, I began to propose to the woman.

"Kensi, I have loved you for a few years now; but I have just recently gained the courage to act upon my feelings. I know we haven't been together too long at this point, but I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

**AN:This will be incredibly long due to this being the end of the story, but please bear with me. Okay, so there was the end to my favorite fic so far. I loved writing it, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. Edits may be made in the future, as this is all "hot off the press" material at the moment. I might even write a sequel for this, but in order to do so I will need to see a SERIOUS increase in support. Say, if I get 50 for each of the following categories, I will certainly write a sequel: favorites follows and reviews. Reviews honestly mean the most to me at this point, so every single one means a lot. I do not mean to be begging for the reviews and stuff, but without them I feel as if no one likes my stuff. If people don't like this stuff, why should I write it? Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope to hear from you all. P.S. I apologize for the cliff hanger, you will need a sequel to get the answer :P. **


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